Extended Laufer- Eugenio Family Links

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Today Nils and I went to our preconception appointment with my new doctor, Dr. Campbell, who I really liked right from the start. I have read that couples looking to conceive should get a preconception appointment to double check for any health issues the mother might have that could prevent her getting pregnant or might interfere with a pregnancy when she does get pregnant. Its like the women that find out they have breast cancer while they are pregnant- they would have benefited from an appoint like this.

They did many of the same test they do when you go in for your yearly exam- checking your weight, blood pressure, breast and pelvic examination. Dr Campbell said they would normally do a PAP at that time too but since I am not technically due for one until about April, he felt we would be okay to skip it since he didn't know if my insurance would cover it or not. But the good news is everything looked good and based on my health and previous pregnancy history, there was nothing to make him there would be any reason to have to wait. The only thing he thought might be of concern was that coming right off the pill might make my cycles off and I might not ovulate right away. That is why many women coming off the pill wait about 3 months (3 cycles) to establish when they ovulate.

Oh yeah, and the fact that women who ovulate coming right off the pill DOUBLE their odds in conceiving TWINS! Yikes!

He explained that birth control pills basically keep you from releasing an egg (ovulation) so women that go off the pill might ovulate right away and some women's bodies jump into overdrive and might release more than one egg that can be fertilized, hence doubling their odds for conceiving fraternal twins from 1 in 80 to 1 in 40! Needless to say, this made Nils and I both raise our eyebrows in apprehension. It made me think back to when I was pregnant with Shaylee and one of my first vivid early pregnancy dreams was my doctor telling me I was going to have twin boys (however, the day before my ultrasound appointment to find out the sex I had a dream that it was a female nurse who was performing the ultrasound and told me it was a girl- what I really wanted and now I have Shaylee!)

But then again, he said the majority of women don't ovulate right away either so getting pregnant could take longer. I basically look at it this way- it's in God's hands. One baby or two...boy or girl......or no baby at all. It's all His plan. And whatever He gives me, I'd be happy with...( but God, if you are listening, I'd like a single, healthy baby boy!).